Britain’s new high-speed railway

M6 South viaduct deck after the first launch.

Building HS2

Britain’s new high-speed railway

HS2 is Britain’s largest construction project, building 140 miles of high-speed railway and four new stations between London and the West Midlands.

We’re creating the infrastructure for reliable, faster rail connections between our major cities – the foundations for a modern network.

Our construction work is complex and large-scale.

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We’re building:

32.5 miles of twin-tunnels, protecting landscapes and reducing disruption above ground;
175 bridges and 52 viaducts to carry trains over existing roads and railways;
111 embankments and 72 cuttings to manage the railway through different landscapes; and
power and signalling systems for safe, high-speed services.

Download the HS2 Route and Infrastructure Maps

Making progress

With 350 active construction sites, construction work is at its peak.

We’ve completed 85% of tunnelling, including the 10-mile Chiltern tunnel, and built the UK’s longest rail bridge in the Colne Valley.

With the main infrastructure complete, we’ll turn the major earthworks, tunnels and bridges into an operational railway that will run electric trains at speeds up to 225mph.

We know our work to build the railway can be disruptive to local communities along the line of route. We’re working to reduce disruption where possible and keep people updated on our progress.

Trains Stations Tunnels Viaducts and bridges Earthworks

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A screenshot showing the HS2 interactive map in action

HS2 route

HS2 connects London Euston and Birmingham Curzon Street, with stations in west London at Old Oak Common and Interchange in Solihull.

The line extends north of Birmingham to Handsacre in Staffordshire. Here, HS2 trains will connect to the West Coast Main Line for the North West and Scotland.

You can explore the route and see what we’re building along 140 miles of track.

Explore the route

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